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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. can — a tin
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. charge — in control
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. swing — music
  7. current — of water
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. can — a tin
  10. current — happening now
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. row — a line
  16. stem — to come from
  17. charge — a price
  18. row — to paddle
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. swing — in golf
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. current — electric
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com